LOVE IS IN THE AIR AND ONLINE, BUT SO ARE CYBERCRIMINALS
Almost a third of Americans said they used an online dating service or app according to a recent Pew survey, and 10% of people in a relationship said that they met their partner online. These stats are even higher for younger people. Unfortunately, though, all this online romance creates opportunities for scammers. Ick!
What is a romance scam?
Romance scams are also called sweetheart scams, which refer to scams involving online dating. Essentially, a bad actor creates a fake online profile, fires up the charm, and attempts to stir up romantic feelings in potential victims. After some not-so-innocent flirtation, eventually, the scammer asks for money.
PAY ATTENTION TO RED FLAGS
Romance scammers try to be as convincing as possible, which can now include using artificial
intelligence-powered deepfake video or audio technology. Still, many cybercriminals follow a similar
scammy pattern. Look out for some red flags when cybersurfing for love:
- » The person requests money for urgent matters, such as medical expenses or a plane ticket to see you. Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person.
- » The person requests hard-to-track forms of payment, like pre-loaded gift cards.
- » The person claims to live far away from you, often in a foreign country. They might also say they are in the military and serving overseas.
- » The person breaks promises to see you in person.
- » The person wants to push the conversation from the dating app to other messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram.
- » The relationship feels like it is moving very fast.
Break up with scammers
If you suspect you or a loved one are the victim of a romance scams, take action:
- Immediately stop communicating with the scammer.
- Note any identifiable information you may have on them, such as their email address or phone number. Take screenshots and write down any contact information.
- Contact your bank or credit card company if you’ve been scammed out of money.
- File a report with your local police department.
- Report the scam to the FTC and the FBI.
- Alert the website, platform, or app where you met the scammer. They might have more information on the scammer that can help investigators.
Did you know?
Americans reported losing a heartbreaking $1.3 billion to romance scams in 2022, according to the Federal Trade Commission, and the number is likely higher due to underreporting.
SAFEGUARD YOUR HEART (AND WALLET) FROM SCAMMERS
By adopting a few privacy habits, you can limit what scammers can learn about you:
- Share with care: Think before posting about yourself and others on social media or online dating services. Consider what a post reveals and who can see it.
- Check your settings: Consider setting your social media profiles to “private”. This makes it harder for scammers to target and communicate with you.
- Think before you click: Be wary of messages that push you for immediate action or ask for personal information. This is a red flag for phishing. Never share personal info via email or text if you do not know the sender.
- Use reverse image search: Do a reverse image search of the flirty account’s profile picture.
- You may see that image belongs to a completely different person or has been affiliated with different online identities. If this is the case, there is a high chance the person behind the fake profile picture is trying to scam you.
